Govt to set up courts for dealing with SC/ST Act cases

SUCH EXCLUSIVE COURTS WILL BE SET UP IN FOUR DISTRICTS IN HARYANA — HISAR, BHIWANI, KAITHAL AND REWARI

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government will set up exclusive courts in four districts — Hisar, Bhiwani, Kaithal and Rewari — to deal with the cases registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday directed the officials to take it up on priority.

Khattar, who was presiding over the meeting of state-level vigilance and monitoring committee to review the progress made under the provision of Scheduled Castes/scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995 was informed that the Punjab and Haryana high court has already notified a court of the additional district judge in each district as a special court to deal with the cases of atrocities under the Act.

However, the matter of setting up of exclusive courts is under the consideration.

The cases under the Act are required to be decided by the courts within two months.

Regarding setting up of six fast-track courts in those districts where 50 or more cases of rape, molestation and mental harassment were pending, it was informed that the matter has been taken with the high court.

The state government has already sanctioned the required supporting staff for these fasttrack courts and the same would be set up soon.

An official spokesperson said it was decided that a study on social aspects would be conducted by the social justice and empowerment department to ascertain the reason behind crime against the people belonging to scheduled castes.

Police will analyse the actual motive in the cases of murder, attempt to murder and hurt, especially in the districts of Hisar, Bhiwani, Kaithal and Rewari, the spokesperson said.